Aberdeen, Alexis Enter NCAA Transfer Portal

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- After adding guard Xaivian Lee through the NCAA Transfer Portal, the Florida Gators have now seen two key pieces in its run to a national championship enter the portal.

Rising senior guard Denzel Aberdeen, who was projected to become a full-time starter next season, and rising senior forward Sam Alexis, a depth piece who missed most of the back-half of the season due to injury, are entering the transfer portal, according to multiple reports.

Aberdeen plans to enter, while Alexis has already entered, according to On3's Joe Tipton and Jamie Shaw. The two are the second and third scholarship players to depart from the program via the portal alongside reserve guard Kajus Kublickas.

NEWS: Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen plans to enter the transfer portal, source told @On3sports.

The 6-5 junior scored 22 points on South Carolina and 20 points on Mississippi State earlier this season. Played an underrated role in the Gators winning a National Championship.… pic.twitter.com/gdkZ2JH282
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) April 18, 2025

Aberdeen, a consistent staple of last year's team, averaged 7.7 points per game as Florida's first guard off the bench. He also started multiple games midway through the season as Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin battled injuries.

Highlights include back-to-back 20-point efforts in wins over Mississippi State and South Carolina during the month of Febuary, a 12-point outing off the bench in the Sweet 16 against Maryland and a free throw in the final seconds of the national championship game.

With Clayton Jr. and Martin departing, Aberdeen was projected to be a full-time starter alongside Lee. However, Aberdeen's departure reportedly has more to do with NIL rather than Lee's arrival, according to a report by Jeff Goodman.

Aberdeen confirmed his planned departure in a statement on Instagram, which can be found below:

"First and foremost, I want to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to play at such an incredible university. These past three years at the University of Florida have been nothing short of amazing. I'm truly grateful to have worn the Orange and Blue and to represent Gator Nation with pride.

"To my brothers -- my teammates -- I love y'all. We made history together, and those memories will stay with me forever. I'm honored to have been a part of something so special.

"Thank you to coach (Todd) Golden and the entire coaching staff for believing me and giving me the chance to compete from the moment they stepped on campus. Your trust and support have meant the world to me.

"After a lot of prayer and conversations with my family, I've decided to enter the Transfer Portal."

Meanwhile, Alexis also confirmed the news in a similar statement on Instagram, which can be read below:

"Dear Gator Nation,

"First off, I want to thank the man above for blessing me and putting me in the position I'm in today. My journey at Florida hasn't been easy. I've faced a lot of adversity, but every challenge has helped me grow into a better basketball player and a better man.

"I want to thank my teammates and the coaching staff for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to compete at the highest level. Winning a national championship here will always be one of the greatest moments of my life.

"After praying on it and having deep conversations with the people I trust most, I've decided to enter the transfer portal."

Alexis first joined Florida as a transfer from UT Chatanooga and was a core piece off the bench early in the season. However, an ankle injury sidelined Alexis halfway through the season, and after the emergence of Thomas Haugh and return of Micah Handlogten, Alexis was out of the rotation by the NCAA Tournament.

His last appearance came in the final minute of the team's win over Maryland in the Sweet 16, which came after he missed over a month's-worth of games.

Alexis finished his lone season with the program averaging 4.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Should Alexis, Aberdeen and Kublickas follow through with transferring, they could be the sixth, seventh and eighth scholarship players from last year's roster to potentially depart from the team. Florida is set to lose seniors Clayton Jr., Martin and Will Richard while underclassmen Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu have announced plans to enter the NBA Draft while retaining their collegiate eligibility.

After adding Lee, Florida is expected to make more moves in the portal after being linked to Ohio transfer AJ Brown, the brother of current UF guard Isaiah Brown, and Washington State guard Cedric Coward.

More From Gators Illustrated